Adjustability
"One of the biggest benefits of an air suspension system is the ability to quickly tune the chassis to prevailing track conditions. Theoretically, you could achieve the same performance from a mechanical spring as you could from an air spring if you had the necessary skill, patience, and equipment to properly tune the suspension. However, road conditions are only one factor to consider in a car that sees both street and track duty. If you change the load in the vehicle with passengers or luggage, you have to start all over with the tuning process. It takes a lot of perseverance to tune a suspension via the traditional method of changing components through trial and error. Therefore, people often end up living with some level of compromise in ride quality or cornering performance. An air spring gives the ability to make tuning changes much quicker and easier at the touch of a button, which often equates to less compromise."
 | | |
Construction & Durability
Those unfamiliar with air springs may question their durability, but they're actually the spring of choice in applications far more demanding than any standard passenger car. "Since air suspension is somewhat new to the hot rod world, it is assumed that it is a new invention altogether," says Bret. "The truth is that more than 95 percent of all semitrucks use air springs-and have for over 25 years. Just like a tire, air springs are made from layers of fabric and rubber, and the weave of the fabric is a key element in determining the expansion characteristics and performance of the spring. Firestone's been making air springs for more than 70 years, and they manufacture springs for us to our specifications."